A/N: Chapter Title taken from the Song: Don't Fear The Reaper by Blue Oyster Cult.

Some of the diologue is taken from the Supernatural episode Abandon All Hope. I do not own those part, they are courtasy of Ben Edlund.

CHAPTER TEN

Came The Last Night

Dean and Cas took the stairs slowly, Cas's optimistic announcement that they were all going to die had sucked the lust right out of the hunter. He hadn't allowed himself to think how wrong it could all go. How he could die. How they could all die.

Walking into the bedroom in front of Cas he shrugged out of his shirt, dropping it absent-mindedly as he headed over to the crib. Bracing his palms against the side as he stared down at his little girl. He sucked in a breath at the realisation that Sam and Cas had been right. He'd been selfish in not giving Jamie up and now he had to face the prospect of leaving her an orphan. Sure she'd have Bobby, but was it fair on him? He wasn't exactly in the prime of life. And he wasn't a hundred percent either.

"Dean?" Cas's voice rang softly in his ear. Well, as softly has it could.

He didn't turn to face the angel. "You were right. Okay." he heard and felt Cas moving closer to him. Inhaling deeply as a large heavy hand rested on his shoulder.

"Dean…."

"Look. I messed up." he sighed, hanging his head. "I should have listened to you. But then when have I ever done that? Huh. I never listen to you and people get hurt."

Cas's fingers tightened on his shoulder and he was forced to turn. "She's your daughter, Dean. You have every right to want her."

"Yeah, but now she's going to be alone."

"Are you planning on going somewhere?" Cas asked quietly.

Dean glared at him hard. "You said so yourself Cas. This is our last night on earth. Tomorrow we die."

"Or we don't. I just meant that we shouldn't take what tomorrow means too lightly. We need to remember that we are facing Lucifer. It won't be easy."

Dean shook his head.

"Dean. I swear, I won't let anything happen to you. - Or them."

"You might not be able to stop it Cas."

Cas watching him closely. His hand dropping from his shoulder where it had been resting.

"Cas?"

The angel turned away from the hunter, walking silently to the bed and lowering himself on the edge.

"Cas?" Dean murmured, moving to join him.

"This is all my fault." Cas sighed.

"Huh?" Dean frowned.

"I should have told you? I should have helped you sooner. If I'd told you what was happening. Heaven's plans. If I'd helped you get to Sam, you could have stopped him."

Dean's back straightened, his lips pressed tight together.

"Then we wouldn't be here. You wouldn't have to walk into this fight and risk not coming out. - You wouldn't be leaving….."

"Cas. Cas!" he gripped the angel's shoulders, forcing him to turn. "I won't lie to you. I wish you'd have told me what was being planned. I wish you'd helped me sooner than you did. I wish we hadn't have had to have that fight for you to see what was right."

Cas inhaled sharply, his head dropping forward guiltily.

"But….I don't think it would have changed all that much. The problem wasn't you not telling me Cas. It was Sam and me not trusting each other. It was Sam lying to me, and me trying to hold on to him too tight. - It was Ruby." he said with an ring of pure hatred. "If I'd killed her the first day I saw her she wouldn't have been able to mess with Sam the way she did. If I'd taken a moment to really look at Sam, I would have seen it earlier. But I didn't. - Sure you could have told me about Sam instead of sending me on the wild time-travel goose-chase into the past…."

"I didn't know about Sam then. Not…." Cas shook his head. "I didn't know what it meant. They didn't tell me Dean and by the time I found out it was already too late."

Dean nodded. "I'm just saying, this isn't on you Cas." his hand gripped the angel's neck, rubbing circles with his thumb. "Me and Sam did this."

Cas shook his head. "No. You didn't know any more….."

"Yeah, Cas, we did. I knew Sam wasn't right. Deep down I knew. - And Sam knew what he was doing was wrong, or he wouldn't have lied to me about it."

Cas stared at him for a long moment before inclining his head in surrender. "So what are you going to do? About Jamie."

Dean turned to glance at the crib. "I'll talk to Bobby. Organize something in case we don't make it back. - I…..I'm sure we can think of something."

Cas's hand pressed against Dean's jaw comfortingly and the hunter turned into the touch. "I'll do everything I can to bring you all home Dean." Cas whispered determinedly.

"I know you will." Dean smiled; meeting the angel's intense if somewhat dulled blue eyes.

It was unclear who moved first, and frankly neither of them cared, they just needed to touch. If this was their last night on earth, Dean had every intention of making the most of it.

~Beware Promises of Always~

Dean stepped as quietly as he could past Bobby. The old man laid out on his bed, still fully dressed and on top of the covers. It was 4am and Jamie was grizzling for a bottle. Dean had left her with Cas and come down to make it, telling the angel he wanted to stretch his legs. The truth was he needed time to think. The closer it got to departure time, the worst Dean's fear became. It wasn't facing Lucifer that was praying on his mind, it was what would happen to Jamie. He's lain away the past hour thinking over and over what to do. Whether in the long run it would be better to just hand Jamie over to the state. Though it would kill him to do so. Swallowing hard he reaching for the kettle and set the water to boil. Leaning his backside against the counter he crossed his arms, closed his eyes and waited.

"Dean?"

He opened his eyes to see Bobby sat in front of him, worry in his features. "Hey. Just fixing Jamie a bottle. Didn't mean to wake you."

"Wasn't sleeping." Bobby shook his head, rolling over to the refrigerator to grab himself a morning beer. Holding one out to Dean, who stared at it for a long moment before giving into temptation and taking it.

"Thanks." he sighed, twisting the cap.

"So what's wrong?"

"Nothing." Dean answered after taking a long gulp. "What makes you think something's wrong."

"Well first, I've known you since you were six years old. Second….its written all over your face."

Dean lowered his bottle and stared at it sadly. "Jamie."

"Is she alright?" Bobby said quickly, his voice tight with concern.

"She's fine. I…..I just…." Dean took a deep breath and looked up to meet the old man's gaze. "If we die…."

Bobby cut him off with a hard glare and a raised hand. "Don't even think it. You boys will be bringing your asses home or I'm going to do some mojo and trap your asses in the men's locker rooms at a Japanese Sumo club for eternity."

Dean's eyes widened. "You're an evil man Bobby Singer." he smirked a little, but it soon faded. "Seriously Bobby. If we…..I don't expect you to look after Jamie."

"What?"

"I mean…..your…..look your not exactly in a potion to take care of a new born so if we die I want you to find a family to take her. - I was thinking maybe….maybe you could call Lisa….she might…." he shrugged.

"You….." Bobby growled. "…..if something happens to you I'm not letting that little girl out of my sight. Clear. She's family!" he said sharply.

"Bobby."

"Shut up!" Bobby waved a finger furiously at him. "I'll take care of her."

"And if something happens to you?" Dean snapped, matching Bobby anger.

"Then….I'll cross to that bridge when I have to. But if you think I'm just going to let that little girl go, your touched in the head!"

Dean dropped his gaze, rubbing at the bridge of his nose. "Bobby I'm just…." he shook his head. "I should have given her up straight away."

"Well you didn't and now she's here she ain't leaving. She's part of his screwed up dysfunctional family for as long as one of us is here to take care of her."

Dean stared at the older man. Looking at him like he was seeing him for the first time. There was something more going on than he knew. He felt it. Bobby had taken to Jamie almost as quickly as Dean had. The only other time he'd seen Bobby this intense was when he'd sold his soul to save Sam. He had that same look then too. As if he couldn't bare to lose his son.

"Now fix that." Bobby grumbled pointing at the steaming kettle. "And get the hell out of my kitchen!" with that the old man wheeled himself back to the study, settling behind his desk.

Dean turned back to make the bottle, then took slow cautious steps out of the room. Almost afraid Bobby was going to shoot him any second. He took the steps two at a time and rushed back to his room to find Cas sat up naked in bed, Jamie in his arms, whispering. Dean handed over the bottle before stepping out of the jeans he'd put on to go downstairs and slipped back under the covers as Cas fed Jamie.

He sat there watching the pair. "I spoke to Bobby."

Cas didn't react.

"He's going to keep her."

Cas nodded. A look on his face Dean had come to know as his 'inside information' face.

"Cas? What do you know?"

"I know many things Dean."

"Don't be flippant, it doesn't suit you. Spill."

Cas kept his eyes locked on Jamie. He shook his head. "It's personal and he….he would not want you to know."

Dean stared at the angel for a long moment. "He's the closest thing I have to a father Cas. If there's something going on with him I should know."

"Why?" Cas turned to meet his gaze.

"Huh?"

"Why should you know?" Cas frowned.

"Because. - Because we're family. If something's wrong…..I can't help if I don't know."

"There is nothing you can do. It is in the past. And if he want's you to know, he will tell you when he's ready."

Dean stared silently once more. His mouth hanging open. He knew Cas was right and he didn't want to pry, but now his interest was peaked and he was beyond curious.

"I won't tell you Dean."

Dean broke their staring contest and glared at the wall.

"Jamie will be safe with him if something happens to us." Cas clarified after a long silence. "He loves her. As he loves you and Sam."

Inhaling sharply, Dean nodded. He'll find out what was going on with Bobby if they survived. And if they don't, he was reassured knowing that Jamie would have Bobby to protect her, as he'd done for Sam and him.

~Beware Promises of Always~

They were packing up the cars by 5:30 and preparing to ride of to their possible deaths. Despite that there was a strange sense of ease hanging over the salvage yard. Dean and Sam busied themselves with rechecking they had everything, while Ellen and Jo went over things with Bobby again. Cas sat on the porch steps with Jamie in his arms, watching Dean move between the Impala and the battered old station-wagon Ellen was driving. Dean glanced over every few minutes with a smile.

Finally they were ready to move out. Dean walked over to join Cas. The angel got to his feet with a resigned sigh and pressed his lips to Jamie's hair. Whispering something so quietly Dean couldn't hear, he handed her over.

"You be good for Grandpa Bobby, okay." he whispered, pressing a lingering kiss to her forehead. "We'll be back soon. I promise." he swallowed, ignoring his mom's voice telling him he shouldn't make promises he couldn't keep. "I love you." he whispered close to her ear, tears burning behind his eyes as he raised them to see Bobby sat on the top step. Swallowing again he took the steps and handed her over. "Take care of her."

Bobby glared at him before his eyes softened and he nodded. Inhaling deeply, he stared at his little girl for another few seconds before turning and heading back to the cars. He looked at Ellen and Jo, then at Sam. "Cas, you go with the girls."

Cas frowned at him, causing Dean to step into his personal space, meeting his eyes. "I something goes wrong…" he said quietly. "I'm trusting you to get them out of there."

Cas nodded understandingly, making Dean sigh with relief and smile, before closing the gap some more to take Cas's mouth. It wasn't a goodbye kiss he told himself. But he'd learnt his lesson. He wasn't going to let him go into this without him knowing. He put everything he had into the kiss. When he broke away, his dragged his lips to Cas's ear. Breathless and dizzy. "Cas I…."

"I know Dean." Cas whispered, cutting him off.

Dean pulled away, meeting his blue eyes and seeing the understanding.

"Seriously, guys. We're on a schedule here." Sam complained lightly.

Lingering for a few more seconds in their bubble, Cas nodded and moved to join Ellen and Jo in the Station-wagon. Dean turned to glare at his brother who was already climbing into the passenger seat. "Bitch." Dean snapped as he took his own seat and started the car.

"Whatever jerk." Sam huffed, waving at Bobby as they moved away.

~Beware Promises of Always~

Rolling into Carthage felt like entering a ghost town. Dean sighed, marching out of the police department. The whole town was empty.

"You know what this reminds me of?" Sam said beside him.

"Don't say it." Dean replied, pointing a finger into his brother's face. He knew exactly what was going to come out of his mouth and it sent a ice cold shiver down his spine. The future was once again banging on the door. Haunting Dean.

"You think it's the virus?"

Dean swallowed. "I don't know."

"Well didn't you….is this where it starts. Did you…tell you anything?"

"No I didn't tell me anything. - I….he…." Dean grunted. "That guy was a dick."

"How could you tell."

"Blow me."

Sam smirked as they made their way back to meet up with the Ellen, Jo and Cas. They turned the corner as the Station-wagon pulled to a stop.

"Stations empty." Dean said frustratingly.

"So's everything else." Jo sighed.

"Have you seen Cas?" Ellen asked.

Dean's eyes widened. "What?"

"He was with you." Sam added with a confused frown.

"Nope, he went after the reapers." Ellen clarified.

Dean gritted his teeth. "Reapers?"

"He saw reapers?" Sam asked looking between the two women. "Where?"

"Well, kind of everywhere." Jo replied.

"Son of a bitch. Remind me to kill him." Dean snapped furiously. "I told him to stick with you. God that guy just….Ahhh."

"I'm sure he's okay, Dean."

"Yeah, then were the hell is he?" Dean snapped, turning to look around at him. "Cas!" he yelled. "Get your feathery ass back here. Now!" he turned to look over his shoulder, knowing how often his husband tended to appear behind him out of nowhere. He was sure he did it on purpose. But there was no sign of him. "Dammit." he hissed. "I going to kill him. I swear I'm going to kill him."

"Come on Dean. Lets keep looking. He's around here somewhere." Sam said calmly, while sharing a concerned look with Ellen.

~Beware Promises of Always~

Cas stared across the fire at his brother. His heart racing with a fear he hadn't thought himself capable of before. He watched the fallen archangel watch him.

"So you came with the Winchesters." Lucifer finally said, pushing himself off the wall he'd been pressed against.

"I….I came alone." Cas said nervously.

"Loyalty." Lucifer nodded. "Hmm. Such a nice quality to see in this day and age. - Castiel, right?"

Cas swallowed hard. His stomach tightening as he nodded.

"Castiel, I'm told you came her in an automobile." Lucifer said causally.

"Yes."

"What was that like?"

"Um…Slow. Confining." Cas answered calmly. His gaze searching for a way to escape.

"What a peculiar thing you are." Lucifer murmured. His gaze racking over Cas. "I hear them talking about you."

Cas straightened his back. "What's wrong with your vessel?" he asked hoping to change the subject.

"Yes, Nick is wearing a bit thin, I'm afraid. He can't contain me forever, so….." he shrugged nonchanlantly.

"You…." Cas stepped forward only to freeze on the edge of the holy fire. "You are not taking Sam Winchester. - I won't let you."

Lucifer stared at him hard. "So its true? What I've heard about you."

Cas inhaled, his back straightening defensively once more.

"You…." his nose crinkled. "….bound yourself to one of them."

Cas remained silent. Watching Lucifer circle him, disgust in the fallen angel's eyes.

Lucifer shook his head. "How could you?"

"There would be no point trying to explain, you wouldn't….couldn't understand." Cas said firmly, his eyes never leaving Lucifer's.

"You love him?" the fallen angel said with repulsion.

"Yes."

"He a human. He's nothing. - He's an abomination."

Cas tightened his jaw against the anger. "As I said. You don't understand."

Lucifer stared at him. The pair silently challenging each other. "I suppose I don't." Lucifer finally said, walking out of the room.

~Beware Promises of Always~

"Oh, this is great we've been in town for twenty minutes and we've already lost the angel up our sleeve." Dean complained.

Sam sent him a side-long look. "You think huh….Lucifer got him?" he asked cautiously.

Dean inhaled sharply, his eyes turning to meet his brothers coldly.

"Sorry. I….Sorry."

Dean had tried not to think about Cas being captured by Lucifer. He'd tried not to think about what the bastard was doing to his angel, but it had been there in the back of his mind almost from the instant Ellen had said he'd gone off on his own. His gut had been in knots for twenty minutes, and it wasn't made any better by the anger bubbling up inside him. He'd told Cas to stay with Ellen and Jo. Told him to keep them safe, but instead he wandered off and was now in the hands of the very thing they'd come there to kill. He swore again that if Lucifer didn't kill Cas, he would.

They four of them turned another corner onto another empty street.

"There you are."

Dean inwardly groaned at the voice. The cold rushing down his spine telling him who it was even before he turned to see her face.

"Meg." Sam spat, his gun raised.

"You shouldn't have come here, boys." Meg smirked.

"I could say the same thing for you." Dean snapped, marching toward the demon, Colt raised and cocked. "Where's Cas?"

"Didn't come here alone, Dean-o."

A rough heavy growl echoed in the silent street. Dean saw the ripples in the rain puddles and knew what he couldn't see. Barking started around them. He couldn't figure how many there were, but he knew they were in trouble. Sharing a quick glance with Sam, he turned back to Meg. "Hellhounds."

"Yeah, Dean, your favourite." Meg laughed. "Come on, boys. My father wants to see you."

Dean tried to figure where the beasts were but other than the one beside Meg, he couldn't place them.

"I think we'll pass, thanks." Sam replied.

"Your call." Meg shrugged. "You can make this easy, or you can make it really, really hard."

Dean glanced back at Ellen.

"When have you known us to ever make anything easy?" Dean said before pulling the trigger and sending a bullet into the hellhound beside Meg.

"Run!" Sam yelled.

The four of them took off down the street, Dean's heart pounding in his chest, cold sweat breaking out on his skin at the sound of the hound at his heels, bring back memories he'd hoped never to relive. The memories came back with painful clarity when he felt the heavy weight of one take him down.

"Dean!"

"Jo, stay back!" he called, seeing the young woman heading back to him. He ducked his head as she fired over him. Over and over. The sounds of wounded animals following every shot. Dean leapt to his feet but he wasn't quick enough, he watched in horror as Jo was taken down by another hound. Her screams ringing in his ears. He reached her side quickly, lifting her into his arms. He ran toward the nearest store as Sam and Ellen provided cover fire.

~Beware Promises of Always~

Cas stood staring at the flames. He had no idea how long he'd been stood there and had no way of knowing it Dean and the others were all right. He was completely cut off. Lucifer's look of repulsion haunted him. He'd know the angel wouldn't understand. None of them did. But he'd never been looked at like that before. The others, Zachariah, Uriel. They'd looked at him like he was a victim. Like Dean had corrupted him. He felt strange. Angry. Insulted. He had done nothing wrong. Nothing.

"I don't know why your fighting me, of all the angels."

Cas turned to see Lucifer watching him from the shadows. "You really have to ask?" he replied angrily.

"I rebelled. I was cast out. You rebelled. You were cast out. - Almost all of heaven wants to see me dead. - And if they succeed, guess what. You're their new public enemy number one."

Cas stared into the darkness.

"We're on the same side, like it or not. So why not just serve your own best interests….which in this case, just happens to be my best interest."

"By handing you Sam Winchester?"

Lucifer shrugged.

"And what about Dean?" Cas asked, his brow raised intrigued.

"I'll let you keep him."

"Why?"

Lucifer smirked. "We're brothers."

Cas stared at him thoughtfully for a long moment. "I'd die first."

~Beware Promises of Always~

"How's she holding up?" Dean asked turning to meet his brother's regretful gaze. His gut clenching painfully at the realisation that Jo wasn't going to make it.

"The salt lines are holding up."

"We're safe now."

"Yeah, safe or trapped like rats."

"Hey, you heard Meg. Her father's here. This is our one shot, Sammy. We gotta take it no matter what."

The pair shared an look of understanding. They weren't walking out of this, any of them. But if they were going down, they were taking that evil son of a bitch with them.

"Here we go." Dean said turning back at the radio he'd been working of for the past few minutes crackled to life.

"Sam, some help here, please!" Ellen called from across the hardware store.

"KC5 Fox Delta Oscar, come in." Dean rested his head against the shelf. "KC5 Fox Delta Oscar, come in." he repeated, praying Bobby would pick up.

"KC5 Fox Delta Oscar, go ahead."

Dean released a sigh of relief at the sound of the old man's voice. "Bobby, it's Dean. We got problems."

"It's okay, boy. That's why I'm here. Is everyone all right?"

Dean closed his eyes tight and took a deep breath before replying. "No. It's…." his voice broke, forcing him to swallow hard. "It's Jo. Bobby, it's pretty bad."

"Okay, copy that. So now we figure what we do next." Bobby's voice crackled through the radio, calm and in charge.

"Bobby, I don't think she's…" his throat tightened up, cutting off the words. Tears burning his eyes.

"I said, what do we do next, Dean?"

Dean rubbed at his eyes, trying to force himself to stay calm. Images of Cas bloodied and broken, fought with those of Jo, making it almost impossible for him to think. He took breath after breath, forcing the images away. "Right. Okay, right."

"Now, tell me what you got."

"We've got nothing. The town's empty. Completely deserted. Like River Grove deserted. Cas told Ellen that he saw reapers before he…." he paused, trying to keep calm. "….vanished."

"Cas is gone?"

"Yeah. - H-he went…to f-find out what was going on with the r-reapers. We haven't seen him since."